Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth’s run at the Canada Open 2025 came to a halt on Saturday after a hard-fought semifinal defeat to Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto. The third-seeded Nishimoto edged past Srikanth 21-19, 14-21, 21-18 in a grueling match that lasted one hour and 18 minutes, ending India’s campaign at the BWF Super 300 event.
Srikanth, who was eyeing his second BWF Tour final of the year, had shown glimpses of his old form throughout the tournament. Earlier in 2025, he reached the final of the Malaysia Masters, a Super 500 event, but had to settle for runner-up after losing to China’s Li Shifeng in straight games.
In Canada, Srikanth’s path to the semifinals included a dramatic comeback win over fellow Indian Priyanshu Rajawat. After dropping the first game 18-21, Srikanth rallied to take the next two 21-19 and 21-14 in a 53-minute contest. His resilience was again on display in the earlier rounds, where he defeated two strong contenders from Chinese Taipei — Wang Po-Wei in the Round of 16 and top seed Chou Tien-Chen in the quarterfinals.
Despite the semifinal setback, Srikanth’s campaign in Canada showcased his ability to compete against high-caliber opponents. However, inconsistency at crucial points once again proved to be his undoing, especially in the third game against Nishimoto where he couldn’t sustain his momentum.
With Srikanth’s exit, the Indian challenge at the Canada Open comes to an end. The focus now shifts to the Japan Open, a prestigious Super 750 tournament, scheduled to take place from July 15 to 20. It will be another crucial test for Srikanth and his compatriots as they aim to make deeper runs in the BWF World Tour circuit.
As the Olympic qualification race intensifies, Srikanth’s performances in the upcoming tournaments will be critical to boosting his rankings and securing a spot for Paris 2026. For now, he leaves Canada with some encouraging performances but also with the reminder that reaching the top again will require greater consistency and mental fortitude in the final stretches of matches.
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